Georgian Patriarch calls for return of citizenship to billionaire Ivanishvili

The Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II has called for citizenship to be renewed for Georgian billionaire, Bidzina Ivanishvili.

'There can be no question as to whether or not Bidzina Ivanishvili should be a Georgian citizen', he said at the Sunday sermon.

"If person is a Georgian then he or she must be a citizen of Georgia and I'm outraged that there is such an unpleasant dispute over this simple question," he said

The patriarch expressed hope that the Georgian president will take into account the situation and take appropriate action. Previously Georgian President Mikheil Saakahshvili deprived billionaire Mr Bidzina of citizenship after the latter decided to go into politics. The reason is reckoned to be Mr.Ivanishvili's obtaining French nationality.